monroe



(No Model.)

G. W. MONROE.

AIR MOISTENER.

'Patented June 15, 1886.

WITNESSES INV/NTO Y ./tt may N. PErEns. Phnwumngnphor, wnhingmn. ac.

UNITED STATES CHARLES W. MONROE,

PATENT Erica.

AlRfIVIOISTENER.

PEC'IPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 31-3720, dated June 15, 1886.

Application filed February 20, 1886. Serial No. 192,716.

` To all whom it may concern:

vBe it known that I, CHARLES W. MONROE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Moisteners; and I do dey clare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en* able others skilled in the art to which it apsteamed or even moistened with water.

pertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this speciiication.

Figure l represents a vertical section ofthe device; Fig. 2, a perspective View, and Fig. 3 illustrates it in use. Fig. et represents a modiiication.

This invention relates to improvements in air-m oisteners or devices for rendering the air moist, and it is primarily intended for use in places where cigars and tobacco are kept.

It is well known that cigars lose their value as they dry, and various ways have been devised for keeping them moist. The best quality are placed in air-tight safes or are wrapped in foil. Sometimes they are periodically One of the commonest ways is to place open vessels of water in the cases in which cigars are kept, and also wet Sponges are employed. Allthese ways are open to serious objections. t Some of them are costly, some are futile, and some injurious tothe cigars. The simplest 'and most usual ones-the use of Sponges or vessel of water-are especially objectionable, particularly in Warrnweather, as the Sponges become sour and the water foul.

It is the object of this invention to produce a device which shall be effective,which issim ple and cheap, will dispense with costly safes, and fully and satisfactorily accomplish the desired end.

In the annexed drawings, the letter Aindicatesahollow base made of non-porous or water-tight material. In thetop of this base is the centralhole, a, around which is the seat a', and beyond itis a-rimatl. Resting on this baseAisa .reservoirofporousware,B. This'reservoirhas a neck, b, snugly fitting the hole a, and the bottom b of the reservoir rests on the seat a Within the rim a2, the reservoir being thus (No model.)

firmly held to the base A. In the bottom the reservoir has an opening` c, concentric with its neck I), which neck is hollow, and inthis opening c is placed asieve, C, resting on abead, c', or projections. The top D of the reservoir has a central hole, d, and an inwardly-projecting lip, d, around such hole. This reservoir is to be filled with some substance-such as mineral wool through which water will slowly percolate. If desired, this reservoir may be made in two parts and of some appropriate design, such as a bunch of cigars, as 1n Fig. 3. p

On top ofthe reservoir rests the cover E. This is a hollow receptacle having a neck, e, to fit the hole d, and also a sieve, e', at such neck resting on the bead e2. At the top this cover has an inward lip, e, on which rests thel outward rim, f, of a pan, F. This pan has a perforated bottom, f', and rests on filtering material f2 within the cover, the cover being made of non-porous or water-tight material. On top of the cover, over the pan, is a lid, H, having the handleh. Thevarious parts of this device are preferably circular.

In use the pan F is filled with water, the lid put on, and the moistener placed where it 1s Wanted-say in the showfcase N. As the water trickles through the bottom of the pan, it passes through the filtering material and among the Woolin the reservoir. Asitspreads here and reaches the shell, it gradually secps or oozes through the porous material,and tends .to form a watery lm on the outside; but as fast as the water comes out it is evaporated, and passes as moisture into the airin the case, and from this is absorbed by the cigars and tobacco in the case, and the greater the absorption the greater the evaporation from the surface and the greater the amount of ooze,and conversely. The surplus water that percolates down through the mineral wool runs into the base A, and can be used over again.

This device thus furnishesa constant supply of j ust sufficient pure Water to give the tobacco the proper amount of moisture without wetting it toc much and without exposing the device to any taint.

The device can be used constantl y, and needs no attention except refilling with water and at rare intervals renewing the filter.

IOO

In Fig. 4 the pan F is shown with only one perforation f3, and this is closed with a valve, f, the construction and operation being like that ofa studentslamp. By thislatter construction the water only iiows from the pan F as it is consumed below.

Having described my inventiomwhat claim 1s- 1. A device for moistening air, consisting of a non-porous cover having a perforated bottom, a non-porous base having an opening in its top, and a porous reservoir having an opening in its top and bottom and adapted to contain mineral wool, as set forth.

2. A device for moistening air, consisting of a non-porous cover having a perforated bottom and containing awater-receptaele having a perforated botton1,and between thebottom of the receptacle and its own bottom ltering material, a non-porous base having an opening in its top, and a porous reservoir having an opening in its top and aperforatedbottom and containing mineral wool, as set forth.

3. A device for moistening air, consisting of a porous reservoir having an open top and a 1ionporous cover having a perforated bottom, above which bottom is filtering material, and above this a perforated pan or receptacle for water, as set forth.

4. A device for moisteningair, consisting of a porous reservoir having an open top and containing inineral wool and a non-porous cover having a perforated bottom, above which bottom is iiltering material, and above this a perforated pan or receptacle for water,as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signatn rein presence of two witnesses.

CHAR-LES W. MONROE.

Witnesses:

A. II. INGRAHAM, F. E. HEMENWAY. 

